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Thursday, October 03, 2013

Seattle Mayoral Candidate, Ed Murray, Delivers Vision for City

As mayor, I will make education at every level the foundation of the
city’s work. We need to move from being an educated city to becoming an
education city. As Mayor, I will use every possible tool in my toolbox
to make sure that our education system is delivering the education and
skills that our kids need and our economy demands. I’ll work with the
council on bold ideas like universal pre-school and use the Road Map
Project’s “Cradle to Career” indicators and milestones to push for
better leadership and resources for education.

We can no longer close our eyes to the sad fact that we are failing
too many kids—this is not an achievement gap, because these kids have it
in them to succeed. It is an opportunity gap, because we have not done
what we need to do to lift kids up and give them what they need. We as a
city cannot move forward economically while leaving so many of our own
kids behind – that kind of tension can only hold for so long before
something snaps.

Once again, our sense of togetherness must inform the questions we ask and the solutions we propose.

As Mayor, I’ll push more resources for dual-language programs that
have proven to be effective and respect the diverse language abilities
of Seattle’s kids. I’ll bring stakeholders together to make sure that
teachers have the training and certification they need to work with the
diversity of languages and cultures that are in our schools. And even
as we’re making sure that more kids are graduating and are college or
career-ready, I’m also going to make sure that if they do graduate, they
have jobs right here in Seattle.

First off, I'd love to know what "make education at every level of the foundation of the city's work" would look like.

"Tool in the toolbox?" Tired and an ed reform favorite.

Okay, so he restates the achievement gap as an opportunity gap. So what? What supports does he propose beyond universal preschool.

On dual-language programs, popularity does not = success. How does he know they are effective?

And I REALLY would like to know how he is going to make sure that teachers have the PD and training they need (but I'm not sure if he means to teach dual-language or to be culturally competent in the classroom).

Even when there are grants out there for PD for teachers in STEM, PBIS, differentiation etc, does our district pursue them? No. They go after pennies for the Alliance's over-priced, under-effective Seattle Teacher Residency.

Well, on platitudes and empty promises he can't deliver, it's not like McGinn is any better. Here is what McGinn said in 2009:

McGinn said the city would take over Seattle schools two years into his term if there wasn't "demonstrable improvement in the schools." He followed that up by saying if there wasn't demonstrable improvement after for years, "Fire me. Kick me out."

Well, beyond universal preschool, there's not much the Mayor can do other than take over the district. The fact that he doesn't seem to recognize this after his many years in elected office makes me wonder if he's paying attention. McGinn at least had the excuse of being a newcomer.

1. Get the marijuana businesses away from schools. Have you seen how many are around Greenwood Elem., and how close they are? I bet this is true at a lot of schools. There's talk about putting one right by Washington in the Central District. The mayor needs to step in and stop it, and make it clear that those locations are unacceptable. The tacit acceptance of street crime and quality of life crime has to stop, and I include the smoking m.j. everywhere in that -- I was in an underground public library parking garage today and smelled it. Just send a message - it's legal in your house, not in the library, not on Westlake Park, etc. And crack down on it around schools.

2. Promise to help locate buildings or land for schools - esp. the smaller ones like Pinehurst, that needs space until the co-location w/Thornton Creek or maybe for goo.

3. Get tough on the Fields Mafia in no uncertain terms - I want to hear a mayor say "the city supports fields, but schools are the future, and when it comes to school vs. field, school wins." (especially on school property!). At last June's Wilson Pacific community meeting, it was 100% clear that the attendees felt building the right school(s) on the site trumped fields, and screwing around to create less desirable school configurations in order to preserve fields on district property was extremely unpopular - but the Mayor needs to be clear that he too supports schools over fields.

4. Agree specifically to help locate portables at Hamilton on the city field there or in the half-block of street that does not have driveways, for 2 - 3 years until the second new middle school opens in 2017. Just say "My administration will do everything possible to help this wonderful middle school community bridge the time until its new building opens, and that may include renting city spaces to the school. Education first."

5. Help finding temporary and permanent space for schools. This could be city space that can be leased, help acquiring space leased from private sector, the donation of city space, or a land swap with the District.

I would like to see the city actively engage the District about finding land for schools in Interbay, on top of open reservoirs when they are lidded, and elsewhere.

I would like to see the city help the District negotiate bus routes with METRO and perhaps help in talks with other government entities, such as the community colleges.

The city could provide before- and after-school care at community centers and coordinate with the District to include academic elements that are aligned with the curriculum.

There's a lot the city could be doing that it isn't doing and it isn't hard to think of specifics. So when politicians speak in vague platitudes instead of specifics, we know that they are not serious.

YippySkippy, you are wrong. I do like Murray (I live in his district). If you had bothered to read my interview with him, you'd see that.

I had good and bad to say about both candidates.

This was a long speech on policy that Murray gave and I covered it. That I found flaws in his thinking (and reading the comments apparently, I'm not alone) doesn't mean I don't like him or that he wouldn't be a good mayor.

Help, I don't agree with all that you say but YES, there are things a mayor can do and you offered some of them. I did say to both candidates that safety on school grounds is the district's problem but safety AROUND the schools - that's the Mayor's problem.

Charlie, the expediting issue has been addressed and the district has its own person in the City to call to get that done. Mayor McGinn told me this.

The City needs to communicate better with SPS when it comes to development plans, especially those involving family housing,like 2-3 bedroom apartments.

It is not enough for developers to look at a map, see that there is a school within a mile of the project, and call it good. There needs to be some way of notifying SPS about the additional capacity needed in that area, as well as what services will likely be needed (ELL, etc...).

Also, the City should charge developer's fees that can go towards creating more school capacity.

I could not agree more that specifics are needed - and North-end Mom is spot on re: the linkage between development and schools. Look at the recent flood of multifamily housing (and apodments) going up in Ballard (with no parking mind you). Is there capacity in the nearby schools to cope? Impact fees should be part of any new development, especially the apodment style that are already flying under the DPD radar due to the shared kitchen aspect. And yes, the City should most definitely be working with SPS re: safety, and with Metro re: transportation planning as it correlates to increased populations. All of that impacts the District in ways that aren't obvious, but a mayorial candidate should have a clue....sigh...

Most everything he says are in such vague generalities, it's almost impossible to get a handle on his position.

It's the state's job to fund education. He's been there for a long time, and he's failed. Failed. Failed, in his paramount duty to adequately fund education. Not such a hot record for someone campaigning as the "I can get things done" candidate.

As someone who's two priorities are education and transportation, he has shown my either his priorities are not mine, or he is completely inept at actually accomplishing his goals.

I'd rather have someone who pisses people off but sometimes actually accomplishes something of worth.

Every single person in the city government that says that the families moving into Downtown need a school should have supported impact fees for school construction at the time that the development was permitted, and should definitely do so now.

Rodney Tom has been the Governor-Behind-The-Curtain BECAUSE of people like Ed Murray. In fact, given Murray's job as "Leader" in the Senate Democratic caucus, Murray SHOULD shoulder huge blame for the pathetic responses to Rodney.

Murray couldn't stop Rodney's nonsense in Oly - what is Murray going to for us in Seattle? He can spend more time with the David Frockt - Jeanne Kohl-Welles chorus whining how people who aren't nice and who don't tell the truth aren't truly nice?

While I can understand any blunt criticism of McGinn, at least McGinn only has 4 years of sell outs

Education Acroynms

Advanced Learning - SPS' three-tier program for advanced learners. Made up of APP, Spectrum and ALOs. (Note: the name of the district program is "Advanced Learning Services and Programs" but these three programs fall under "Highly Capable Services" of AL Services and Programs.

ALO - Advanced Learning Opportunity, the third tier of SPS' Advanced Learning program

AP - Advanced Placement. A national program of college-level classes given in high schools.

APP - Accelerated Progress Program. One of the levels of the Advanced Learning Program. NOTE: the name of this program is now "HIGHLY CAPABLE COHORT." This change occurred in 2014.

ASB - Associated Student Body. High school leadership groups.

AYP - Adequate Yearly Progress. Part of NCLB.

BEX - Building Excellence. SPS' capital renovation/rebuilding program that is funded via the BEX levy. Every 3 years there is the Operations levy and either the BEX or BTA levies as those two levies rotate in six year cycles).

BLT - Building Leadership Team. Staff members at a school who meet regularly to discuss building issues.

BTA - Buildings, Technology, Academics. The major maintenance/other capital fund for SPS. Originally BTA was to cover major maintenance like HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning), roofs, waterlines, etc.) but now covers wide swaths of items like athletic fields, technology and funding academic needs.

CAICEE - Community Advisory Committee for Investing in Educational Excellence. Created by former Superintendent Manhas in 2008, to issue a report about reform recommendations for SPS.

CSIP - Continuous School Improvement Plan, the plan for improvement for each school as required by state law.

EOC - End of Course Assessments, given in math and science, required for high school graduationESEA - Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the federal law that governs education, includes the NCLB accountability provisions.

e-STEM or e-STEAM - STEM or STEAM curriculum with an environmental focus.

FACMAC - Facilities and Capacity Management Advisory Committee. A district committee comprises of an all-volunteer citizen group created in 2012 to help bring research and ideas to capacity management issues in the district.

FERPA - Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. A federal law that protects students' privacy

FRL - Free and reduced lunch.

FTE - Full Time Equivalent

FY - Fiscal Year

Highly Capable Services - NEW name (as of 2014) as umbrella name for these programs: Highly Capable Cohort (formerly APP), Spectrum and ALO (Advanced Learning Opportunities).

HSPE - High School Proficiency Exam, state assessment that replaced the WASL for 10th graders, required for graduation

HQT - Highly Qualified Teacher, a standard set by federal law

IA - Instructional Assistant

IB - International Baccalaureate program. An international program of advanced classes that can either be taken as stand alone or as part of an overall IB program.

IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The federal law that governs special education

MAP - Measures of Academic Progress. A computer-based adaptive assessment made by NWEA and originally purchased by the district for use as a district-wide formative assessment but now used for a wide variety of purposes.

MSP - Measurement of Student Progress, the state proficiency assessment that replaced the WASL for students in grades 1-8

MTSS - Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

NCLB - No Child Left Behind, a provision of the federal education law, ESEA, introduced during the George W. Bush administration